FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 12, 2017
Contact: Jacqueline Guevara, Director of Education & Public Engagement, Mojave Desert Land Trust 
Phone: 760-366-5440 x 234
jacqueline@mdlt.org

National Park Service and Outdoor Foundation Select Mojave Desert Land Trust for Youth Outreach Grant

Joshua Tree, CA – The Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT) recently received a grant to support its work with Outdoor Outreach to bring youth to Joshua Tree National Park for a weekend of camping and outdoor education.

The grant is part of the National Park Service and the Outdoor Foundation’s 2017 Challenge Cost Share Program, which supports projects that promote urban outreach, youth engagement and connecting people to the outdoors. The partners selected 19 projects, from 134 applications, and will award more than $360,000 that will be matched by an estimated $760,000 in direct and in-kind contributions from recipients. More than 12,000 youth are expected to be engaged through the program.

"The only way to truly engage our youth with environmental issues is to take them outside," commented Jacqueline Guevara, Director of Education & Public Engagement at MDLT. "These public lands belong to everyone, and we should be encouraging the upcoming generation to enjoy and protect them."

"Joshua Tree National Park values its role in connecting all Americans with their public lands, particularly young people,” explained David Smith, Superintendent of Joshua Tree National Park. “Providing the means through which underserved youth can experience the transformative power of the outdoors is crucial to ensuring their long-term health and wellness, and shows them that nature can be an amazing place to rediscover themselves and their world.

"The Challenge Cost Share Program supports National Park Service parks, National Trails and Wild and Scenic Rivers that are aligned with partners that promote urban outreach, youth engagement and connecting people to the outdoors. The initiative requires a 1:1 match by the local recipient — resulting in greater financial leverage and impact.

“The Outdoor Foundation is thrilled to once again partner with the National Park Service to reconnect Americans to their national parks and engage a new generation of outdoor enthusiasts and stewards,” said Ivan Levin, deputy director of the Outdoor Foundation. “The Challenge Cost Share program is one of the most effective initiatives that leverages public and private funds and invests in local partnerships that deliver results.”

The Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to protect and care for lands with natural, scenic, and cultural value within the Mojave Desert. For more information, visit www.mdlt.org  

The Outdoor Foundation is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and growing future generations of outdoor leaders and enthusiasts. Through groundbreaking research, youth engagement and community grant-making, the Foundation works with young leaders and partners to mobilize a major cultural shift that leads all Americans to the great outdoors. In just five years, the Outdoor Foundation has invested $4 million into 500 not-for-profit and college programs that have connected 200,000 young people to the outdoors. Importantly, 90¢ of every dollar goes directly into this critical work. Visit us at www.OutdoorFoundation.org

More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov